After Whitley’s first win in six years at Woodhorn Lane, manager Nathan Haslam was able to reflect on a third game without defeat since taking over at Hillheads. “Obviously I’m really happy with the win, that goes without saying, I think the bonus is the clean sheet. I think we made heavy weather of it in the end. We should have put the penalty away and if we’d scored that it would have been a lot more comfortable than it was. I think it gave them a little bit of a second wind to try to come back into it but the lads have ground it out again and without being at our best we still won the game.”
Explaining the decision for Dan Wright to take the penalty, Haslam said it had been agreed ahead of the game. “Dan was our nominated penalty taker with Olly Martin not playing and 99 times out 100 he’d have scored but this time unfortunately he missed it.“
The wind was a major factor in the game with Whitley facing the elements in the first half. “We did well in patches when we got it down. The wind was strong so it was always a battle. I like the technical side of football but the lads have really shown me everything that they’ve got in terms of fighting capabilities, battling for each other, winning first and second balls. It showed me today a quality that you can’t really work or train on, you’ve just got to go out and do it and I’m happy with that.”
Acknowledging that Dan Lister’s instinctive save midway through the first half was crucial, he added “It was a massively important save by Dan. I don’t think he knew a lot about it but it was a testament to him. You’ve got to be in the right place and then he’s pushed one on the bar but their keeper has done the same thing as well. He’s pulled off some great saves near the end of the first half, that’s what keepers are there to do! I’m really happy with Dan, he’s come into the club not knowing many of the lads. I know he’s been here before and knows one or two but for a young 19 year old keeper it takes a certain type of person to be able to handle it, because there’s a lot pressure coming here to a big club but I’m hoping I’ve given him the confidence to be himself to try and make the right decisions, Yes, he’s made some wrong decisions and he knows that but you don’t learn unless you make mistakes and that’s what he’s doing, he’s learning. He’s a great lad and he’s played a massive part in all three games so far.”
In order to give his whole squad opportunities in the closing stages of the season there were two changes from the side that defeated Whickham in midweek and Haslam was particularly impressed with striker Stephen Ramsey. “Ramma’s done remarkably well considering he hasn’t had a lot of game time this season. He’s come in and put in about 80 minutes of real hard work; not just hard work but he’s got a football brain. He’s not fully tuned up but he’s gone out and put in a real mature performance for us. It’s impressed me and going forward it’s giving me a headache, a nice headache to be honest. In terms of what we’ve got available it’s a really nice problem to have because not a lot of clubs have got what we’ve got. Apart from ‘Ramma’ the rest of the lads, have all grafted and it would probably unfair to single anyone out. I’ve played a different team in all three games and each time they’ve come out of it with credit and the run continues, I can feel that kind of winning habit already so it’s all mental.”
“Olly Martin wasn’t involved today but he’s massively part of what I want to do going forward. We’ve been open and honest with the lads about giving chances without hopefully disrupting the kind of shape, and it was Olly’s turn today to let me have a look at somebody else. He knows the situation and as I say he’s got as massive part going forward. Lewis Walton is fine and has declared himself fit after the face injury at Shildon. I think he’s just unfortunate he wasn’t involved in the squad today but I only wanted to have one defender on the bench and Ibby had that place today. Jack Cooper has come in for Lewis and has been doing a really good job but Lewis has a great attitude will be back and will have a part to play for us.”
